Romanian brewer United Romanian Breweries Bereprod (URBB) sold 6 percent more beer, mineral water and refreshing beverages in 2011 on the year before. This translated to an 8 percent increase in turnover compared to the previous year. The company sold more Skol and Tuborg beer, but its sales of Carlsberg stagnated. Its refreshing beverage sales were down 10 percent. Beer sold at a 7 percent higher volume in 2011, while the Bilbor mineral water brand sold 46 percent more in volume.

“At the beginning of 2011 we estimated a 10 percent growth in sales, even in the case of a difficult year, with challenges on all our markets. We knew that setting up optimistic objectives helps evolvion in the right direction and we start 2012 on an upwards trend,” said Hezy Ovadia, president of URBB.

URBB's market share of the beer sector went up by 11 percent last year, when beer sales covered more than 83 percent in the company's sales volumes. Skol and Tuborg beer brands scored the biggest increases. Exports made 3 percent of the company's total beer sales.

The company plans to invest EUR 4 million this year in its distribution system and bottling lines IT system.

Corina Saceanu, corina@romania-insider.com